Welcome to the 2011 Raas Purnima issue of e-Sanai

by Sri Sandip Dasgupta

Welcome to the Raas Poornima issue of e-Sanai. This is the time of the year when Sri Sri Babathakur decided to give up His body. When we think of that, the instant feeling is that of sadness – but then I’m immediately reminded of what He told me once over the phone – “I am always with you – both during good times and bad times”. Honestly, as I reflect just on that one sentence in all my dealings in life, I see a different perspective and am able to survive the hardest of circumstances. Every incident in life becomes an opportunity of reflecting on His words and appreciating a deeper meaning every time.

He had asked us to begin this magazine so that we could reflect on spiritual matters and share our thoughts with each other in an informal manner. We had a very good start and used to receive quite a few articles for publication. Lately, there have been very few submissions. I would encourage al readers and their friends and families to share their spiritual experiences with us, so that we can all benefit from each others’ experiences. I also pray to the Supreme Lord that we are able continue fulfilling His dream of this blog becoming a media for sharing spiritual thoughts in an informal manner.

Joy Guru! Joy Babathakur!

East and West

by Ramen Basu

It was during my ‘salad days’at school, that I came across the following lines in a poem:

‘East is East and West is West
And Twain shall never meet again.’

The poem belongs to the poet Rudyard Kipling. He, being in tune with the ruling class of Rajas and Maharajas, did not quite fathom what these lines would imply in later days. That was long ago, though the poet was sure that it is only a brave heart who can embrace the East and the West equally.

The early 19th century brought English-induced renaissance to India, and especially to Bengal. The formation of Viswa Bharati (International School of Education for Self enlightenment) is one of the results of that. Swimming upstream the flowing rivers and gathering experiences gradually, an individual moves towards a Universal Being ‘belonging’ to everywhere, the Source. To that end one may become That; Thatness is at-one-ment of life, Self in Self..

Harmonization of Nature requires harmony of politics, religion and philosophy in between inter and intra personal experiences; thus one becomes undivided, One in and through the Science of Oneness as taught by Sadguru Sri Sri Babathakur. To sum up, all appearances of the manifestation of the Oneness would be there inwardly, whereas the diversity of that One will be totally present to each and every one, in whatever the One sees, hears, touches, smells and tastes.

Let us back-track our origin as the human species. Humans are the brightest as well as the weakest of surviving creatures. Just because they have their brain, a whole head full of grey cells, they are at the most evolved of all the species. The original survival strategies were movements in groups, fellow-feeling and sharing each others pains and pleasures. They mostly listened to the leader of a group who, as it turned out, became considered the ‘Guru’. One of the earliest human character named Manu in Puranas of Indian system, codified the laws of
life, The Manu Samhita. The caste system and division of Life in four stages such as: Brahmacharya, Grhastya,Vanaprastha and Sannyas may be in vogue in Gurukul system even today. In some form or the other, they exist in our modern life without the past rigor and discipline.

The original human, born in Africa, multiplied and formed this vast human populace, having various races colors, creeds, sex, castes and so on. The common-ness lies in the ONE despite innumerable variations. Logistically, the path of variety can be retraced to the path of Unity. Thereby we acknowledge the involution and evolution of the human race. Involution is the Existence which is common to all equally. That is to say, the vibration exists equally and that is why Love is All. All is Love.

Based on the above background Consciousness, my wife was born a Dane, and opted to live in India. And Ramen by birth an Indian, lives in India, which also is his choice. Sorry to say, the religious-political stronghold in the Government take full advantage of certain minority situations. There is no point in denying the fact, that the Viswa Bharati of today is just not the same as the Viswa Bharati of Tagore.

My point here is to say; ‘Be a Bharatiya and not an Indian’. People ought to understand that when people say ‘I am immersed in Bha (BHA(Light) te RATA(Immersed)) i.e. light of Consciousness’, it doesn’t imply them having roots in the Indian subcontinent. Needless to say any person, who worships and gets his/her Self in the light of Consciousness, is Bharatiya - whether they have an Indian Passport or an international one.

Socio-economic, socio- environmental and socio- religious groups may dominate one’s life. Material Scientists on the other hand prefer to listen to philosophers and delve in logical understandings. But they are yet to find the inner source of joy which is abundant in ignorant people; ignorance is bliss.

Once Sri Sri Babathakur answered to Susmita Devi on her query: ‘Why East and West differ so much?’ Sri Sri Babathakur answered: “There is broadness in spiritual Science in the East, but too narrow social mores whereas there is a broad spectra in social mores and very little spiritual broadness in the West.” This answer is so befitting. Let us live in the ‘NOW’ and ‘NOB’ i.e. ‘Nectar of Wisdom’ and ‘Nectar of Bliss’.

OM

By Sri Subbu Venkatakrishnan

On a previous occasion, we had explored the topic of the ‘real’ purpose of life and concluded that
Self Realization is the goal and birthright of human existence. When I explore what is meant by Self Realization, I understand that knowing myself as SatChitAnanda is Self realization - which is also Godrealization, since God is SatChitAnanda. Also, since there is only one reality, which is SatChitAnanda,there are no differences. Thus going beyond all differences also means Self realization. Once Irecognize that there is only one reality, and I no longer see any differences, compassion towards all becomes a natural outcome. Surrender to God is the same as recognizing that everything is God and that all acts are performed in God, for God. Thus, surrender is natural. Everything is divine, within and without. Knowing this is recognizing divinity, within and without. Some of us might say, “But how do I believe that this is the truth about me? Is this what the scriptures are pointing to? How do I know that this is all true?”

These are not unreasonable questions. But if I am asking a question without a desire to get an answer, then there is no one who can answer this question for me. Some of us get too attached to our questions and go on telling everyone about how no one has been able to answer it. If that is how we hold on to our questions, then we shall receive no answers whatsoever.

However, if a question is asked with utmost sincerity, then the scriptures themselves show the path to recognize the Highest Truth and ultimately abide in it. In this regard, one main attribute required of a true seeker is Faith in the words of the scriptures and of the master.

In the famous text, “Vivekachoodamani”, the great sage, Adi Shankaracharya says,

Shastrasya Guru Vakyasya Satyabuddhi Avadharana
Saa Shraddha Katitha Satbhih Yaya Vastu Upalabhyate

The last quarter of this statement, “Yaya Vastu Upalabhyate”, means, that “By this, the thing/Absolute (Vastu) is obtained.” Naturally the question is “by what?” And the answer is: by Shraddha or Faith. So, through one sweeping statement the great teacher says, “If you have faith, you will get the desired thing.” Here there is only one desired thing, which is the Absolute Truth. And who says this? Katitha Satibhih----this is said by the knowers of Truth.

The first half of this statement goes on to define what is meant by faith. “Shastrasya Guru Vakyasya Satyabuddhi Avadharana”, i.e. the understanding that what is being revealed by the scripture through the words of the teacher is indeed true. Another way to look at this is that the scripture or a master does not have any hidden agenda when they reveal the truth and they are most concerned about my welfare alone. So, I submit myself to the teaching, make myself fully available and take the necessary steps to fulfill the ultimate goal of this human existence.

Whenever I have the opportunity to think about faith, this particular story always comes in front of me. There happened to be a story teller, a bard, whose job it was to relate stories from the great Purana or epic called the Srimad Bhagavatam. One of the main chapters in this epic is dedicated to the childhood days of Lord Shri Krishna. Once the bard was describing how mother Yashoda would decorate baby Krishna with the most beautiful jewels----the golden anklets, the jewel studded bracelets, the diamond crown, ruby earrings, many different kinds of necklaces, and so on.

So enthralling and engrossing was the bard’s description of this passage, that many people were moved to tears. Now, just as the story was being narrated, a professional thief happened to pass by. As he heard about the various jewels, his interest naturally perked up. And when he heard all the details, he was extremely excited and formulated a plan. As soon as the discourse was over, he went to the bard and under the threat of bodily harm, asked him for the baby’s address. The bard tried to shake him off and told him that it was only a story and not to take it seriously. The thief, however, did not take no for an answer and warned the bard of dire consequences if he did not reveal the address of the child.

So, out of fear and with a desire to get rid of the thief, the bard told him that the boy lived in the middle of the dense forest adjacent to a village which was hundreds of miles from this town. The thief thanked him and set off for this forest. And he went only with one goal, which was to find this boy. He did not take any rest, went without food or water for days, and ultimately found his way to the middle of the said forest. He was very exhausted and started calling out to Krishna. Finally out of sheer exhaustion, he fell down. It was sometime later when he regained his senses that he realized that he was lying in someone’s lap. As he opened his eyes, wonder of wonders, the same boy who was described by the bard was standing in front of him. And he was adorned with all the jewels, exactly as the bard had described.

The sight of Lord Krishna as a baby was so enchanting that the thief kept staring at Him and was at a complete loss of words. The Lord fed him, gave him water to drink, and played with him for some time. And when the time to bid good bye came, the Lord took out off the jewels and handed them to the thief. The thief, by now had no desires left in him. The vision of the Lord had completely wiped out his entire past karmas. His single pointed devotion and faith brought him face to face with the Lord. He refused to take the jewels, but the Lord insisted that he should offer them as guru dakshina to the bard.

Now, this was an idea that appealed to the thief. Since it was the bard who initiated him and directed his search for the Lord, it was only proper that he offer guru dakshina to his teacher. With this intention he returned to the village. It was late in the night and he knocked on his guru’s door. When the bard realized that the thief had returned, he was afraid for his life. He prayed frantically to the Lord to save him. However, the thief immediately prostrated to the bard and offered the jewels to him.

The bard was even more scared now. He thought that this thief had mercilessly waylaid some innocent child and robbed the jewels. But the thief insisted that nothing like this happened and told him the whole story. When the bard looked at the jewels, indeed they were just like how he had described while telling the story. Now, it was the bard’s turn to fall at the feet of the thief and seek his guidance on the Lord’s whereabouts. For all his life, the bard was simply telling a story. But the thief’s faith in the story being true, brought him fulfillment.

Most people when hearing of the word 'faith', get an allergic reaction. Each one of us has already
concluded that there is something wrong about this 'faith business' because we have equated it to some kind of blind belief. In the guise of being 'rational' human beings, we think that having faith will somehow make us irrational. However, I submit that we all actually operate in this world with a lot of faith.

First, let us take our worldly experiences. From the time I wake up to the time I go to bed, I depend on faith for my existence.

1)When I hear about the traffic report on TV, I do not second guess the reporter, and avoid the log jams. Please note that I have not personally verified for myself that there is indeed a traffic jam, but believe the reporter's story to be true.

2)When I get into my car to get to work, I believe that I will make it safely to work.

3)When I cross a traffic signal on 'Green', I expect that the cross-road has a 'Red' traffic signal
and although I cannot personally see it, I believe the system is working fine and drive through.
Additionally, I also believe that the other car driver is capable of interpreting the signals correctly.

4)When I get into a plane, I believe that the pilot knows how to fly a plane and will get me safely to my destination.

5)When I go to bed, I lie down with the belief that I will wake up tomorrow.

Thus, we see that we cannot escape coming face to face with faith in each and every action of ours. However, there is one aspect about all our experiences in the worldly sense that reinforces the idea of faith, which is that most of what we believe in can be verified. In other words, when I hear about a traffic accident, I have the capacity to verify its validity and therefore, I take it at face value and continue with my life. Otherwise, if I go about doubting each and every aspect of worldly experiences, I will become a total wreck and cannot live a normal life. So, I have no problem having faith in facts that are verifiable by me either directly or indirectly, either now or later.

Now, let us take the scriptural perspective. When I talk about scriptures, I am primarily referring to the body of knowledge called the Vedas. The subject matter of the Vedas consists of those things to which my sense perception and other means of knowledge like inference, presumption etc have no access. In Sanskrit, we say, “Atindriya Vishaye Vedaha Pramanam”, which means for topics that are not available to my sense perceptions, Vedas are the means of knowledge. Naturally therefore, there will be several truths revealed by the scriptures that are non-verifiable and several that are verifiable. We have to be very clear on which of these are non-verifiable and which of these are verifiable. Most of the disagreements that you will often find between various religions revolve around insistence on non-verifiable beliefs.

Let me elaborate a little on the belief structure. Let us take the example of homeopathy, a system of medicine. In homeopathy there is actually no medicine in the pill that is given as a remedy. According to homeopathy, every disease is due to a gross substance, and the subtle aspect of the same substance will relieve you of the disease. After the diagnosis, the doctor will choose an appropriate remedy and introduce a drop of it in a large bucket of water and stir it for hours. Then he takes one drop of this diluted substance, puts it in another bucket of clean water, and again stirs it. This process is called potentizing the remedy. A substance is considered highly potentized if it has gone through the process ten times. Finally, a tiny pill is made of a drop of the final substance mixed with sugar water. Although homeopathy may not be understood scientifically, the system often works; it is verifiable. If you say, “I don't believe in it,” you can try it for yourself. You can be certain that if your symptoms worsen the next day, the doctor will be very happy because it means that the medicine is correct. The homeopathic principle is that the cure will, at first, aggravate your malady. At any rate, this system of medicine is available for your verification.

But, how are you going to verify a belief that there is a heaven? If you say, “After death we can verify that there is a heaven,” then I will have to accompany you there; it is not verifiable from here. So, we see the problem here. In fact, this is how a belief system works----on the authority of someone or a scripture. However, just because the existence of heaven is based on a non-verifiable belief, it does not mean that heaven does not exist. The non-existence of heaven also requires proof in order to be verified. How can you verify that heaven does not exist? To be verifiable, it must be within the scope of our logic and perception. Since you cannot prove heaven's non-existence, much less prove its existence, we can give the benefit of doubt to the scriptures and accept that there is a heaven.

The Vedas also tell us that heavens exist, but hasten to add that heaven is not our goal. Heaven is only temporary because it is within the fold of time. You go there and you come back. According to the Vedas, since heaven is not a final destination, the very effort to get there is meaningless. So, although the Vedas provide the methods for going to heaven etc, they also point out its limitations and ask you to consider why you want to go there.

You may say you want to go to heaven because you want to be free from suffering. Yet you won't be free, because even there you will have a boss; Indra, the ruler of heaven. You may even have a mother- in-law there. You may say that as a denizen of heaven, you will have a better standard of living than you have now. But there too, other denizens will have even more than you. So, there again comparisons will take place, and the problems associated with it. Thus, the Vedas do not present heaven as the ultimate end.

You may say, “I want to go to heaven because as I am now, I am not okay, and I don't think I will ever be okay.” So, you have made two conclusions; I am not okay, I will never be okay. What is the basis of your conclusion? “I am over forty years old now.” What does it mean to be over forty? You come to realize that your attempts to make happiness last have not worked. You still feel incomplete. If you are an Indian, perhaps you came to America as a student. Then you got the green card, thinking that once you obtained the green card, everything would work out, but even after getting it, you haven't changed much. Then you thought that if you got married you would be okay. But even marriage did not make you feel totally okay. You thought that if you had a child, you would be okay. After having the child, also you don't feel okay. Then you say, “Now that I have a child, I don't want to be here, I want to go to India.” Well, all right, go to India. “I can't go to India yet, I think I should have some more money before I go.” Year after year you postpone the move. By now, your child is a teenager and now you have another set of problems.

By now, the two-fold conclusion that I am not okay, and I can never be okay, has become acceptable to you and you somehow live with it. The scripture challenges this belief and asks whether you have really inquired into yourself before arriving at this conclusion. The Vedas completely negate your notion about yourself. And here is the most important fact --- what the scripture says about you is verifiable. The words of the scripture handled by the guru point out that what you think about yourself is not true, and that you are, in fact, the whole. It shows how, in your pursuit of all pleasurable things, you are really seeking only yourself.

A statement in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad reads, “Atmanastu Kamaya Sarvam Priyam Bhavati,” meaning, “Everything is desirable only for the sake of the self.” These words are attributed to a great sage, Yajnavalkya, who has a dialogue with his wife, Maitreyi, in which he tells her of his plan to go to the forest and become a sannyasi so that he can gain liberation or freedom. Renouncing his vast wealth, he explained to her that he would leave it all to her. Maitreyi noted that the things he was leaving behind were obviously no longer valuable to him in his pursuit of freedom and asked him whether that same freedom would come to her if she held onto the things he was leaving behind. He said it would not. Why, then, she asked, should she hold onto those things that were of no use in the pursuit of freedom? Instead, she also wanted to pursue that knowledge which leads to liberation. She asked Yajnavalkya to teach her. It was then that he told her, “Atmanastu Kamaya Sarvam Priyam Bhavati.”

The sage Yajnavalkya then says, “Atma Va, are, Drahstavyah, Shrotavyah, Mantavyah,
Nidhidyasitavyah.”: The Self, my dear, is to be seen, to be heard about, to be reflected upon, to be meditated upon. This entire statement is so loaded that we will have to reserve a future time to go through its implications.

But the bottom line is you do not stumble upon the truth---you must hear it from a guru who knows. And you must verify it for yourself. Since the words of the teacher are the means of knowledge, you just need to employ the means of knowledge. This is the true meaning of the word 'Faith'. In fact, the masters have already defined it for us, so that we don't interpret it in our own way. They say, “Shastrasya GuruVakyasya Satya Buddhi Avadharana”, “the total commitment to the words of the scripture and the teacher, that what they are teaching is the truth”----is what is meant by Faith.

The Concept of Religion in Hinduism

by Sri Ajit Halder

Two words in the title, ‘Religion’ and ‘Hinduism’ need explanation - Religion consists of all that is concerned with God or something sacred and has also been considered as a system of beliefs that is held on to with ardor and faith. Hinduism helps a person to lead a religious life and attain salvation, Moksha, meaning liberation from worldly bondage and suffering.

The essential link between Hinduism and Religion becomes evident when it is realized that Hinduism is a religious philosophy and because its teachings are fundamental with a universal appeal; it is as true and relevant today as it was many thousands of years ago.

Every major faith has its own interpretation of the concept of religion and one finds a degree of commonality in these views. Yet because of doctrinal differences, an element of diversity is noticeable in the interpretations of religion as given by different faiths. It will be of immense benefit if a unique definition of religion, proposed and approved by major faiths, is offered enabling us to make a meaningful study of the subject. Luckily for us, an interpretation of religion in the form of a set of beliefs agreed by the leaders of major faiths is available. At a
seminar on faith, belief and religion held in Cambridge, UK in 1990, the faith leaders of Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Sikhism spelt out a set of four common beliefs which will be quoted below and alongside each statement, the Hindu view on each belief will be presented.

1) Belief in Transcendental Reality, God, who is worthy of worship: The Hindus believe in and worship one creator God, Iswara: Ekam Eva Advitiyam; Ekam Sad Vipra Bahudha Vadanti - One Supreme divinity without a second, wise men associate a godly figure to each of His many attributes.
2) Belief in the existence of a spiritual dimension in every human being: Hinduism asserts every human being is divine: Tat Tvam Asi, Thou art That (Divine).
3) Belief in innate love for eternal values such as Truth, Justice, Righteousness, Love, compassion and care towards all creation, which the spiritual self of each individual is innately endowed with by God:
Satyam Shivam Sundaram – Truth, Godliness and Beauty is the watch word of the Hindus;
Satyameva Jayate- ‘Truth only triumphs’ guides a Hindu life.
4) Belief in need for Transcendental Guidance: To a Hindu the scriptures- The Vedas (God’s words revealed to the enlightened sages), the Upanishads, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana naratives guide and inspire righteous living of the Hindus.

It is clear that Hinduism includes the above-mentioned four beliefs and more are to be found in the practice of Hindu religion which adds a social dimension to Hinduism as a faith practice. The celebration of Durga Puja as a religious cum social and community celebration will be mentioned here to emphasise the fact that Hindu religious celebrations are God-worship in which the human element is also focused.

The word religion is sometimes used interchangeably with faith or belief system, but religion differs from individual belief in that it has a public aspect: congregations of the devotees for the purpose of veneration of a deity (worship of a chosen god) or for prayer and pilgrimage to holy places. The practice of Hinduism also includes worship of an image of a god or goddess (pratima) with offerings, singing devotional music, dance, art, social gatherings and cultural activities. Hinduism as a religion includes all these as ritual practices and puts more stress on spi-ritual acts. We should note that the word ritual is embedded in the expression spiritual, meaning thereby that any act to gain spiritual improvement is indeed a ritual act.

If the author of this article is asked: ‘What is your religion?', his reply will be ‘Hinduism’. If he is asked: ’What is your faith?’ most likely he will repeat, ‘It is Hinduism’. If on another occasion, he is asked: ‘What is your belief?’ his answer would again be ‘Hinduism’. In common usage the words ‘religion’, ‘faith’ and ‘belief’ are used interchangeably although subtle differences do exist and broadly speaking, there is much commonality in the religious principles conveyed through the three words.
Hindus believe that they are followers of a common religion. The shared basis for a world-view and the shared concept of sacred in Hinduism is well reflected in the Hindu mythology and philosophy. Hindu Religious belief usually relates to the existence, nature and worship of a deity or deities and divine involvement in the universe and human life. Hinduism is a religion essentially founded on the multiplicity of deities, worshipped by different sects in a variety of systems of worship and even codes of conduct. In this sense, Hinduism is very liberal and
accepts and respects views of different sects within its fold. This plurality of sects and the fact that all sects are thriving within Hinduism is a proof that Hinduism allows freedom of thought, free will of its followers. Hinduism accommodates the philosophies of Vaishnavism, Shaivism, and related groups in the Indian subcontinent. Concepts most of them share in common include dharma, karma, reincarnation, mantras, and darśana. Hinduism is not a monolithic religion but a religious category containing dozens of separate philosophies amalgamated as Sanātana Dharma. Hinduism consists of “a cosmogony - creation story, mythology, theology; doctrines - ethics, laws, and teachings; customs - rituals, symbols, and worship." The Sanskrit word dharma, sometimes translated as "religion" is used to mean "reverence for God or the gods, careful pondering of divine things, obedience to God and also means religious behavior prescribed in the Vedas”. Dharma literally means ‘the Sustainer’ ( Yo Dharayati So Dharman).

Usually the word religion is applied to systems of ritual, creed and myth; the rituals take an important role in Hindu life. The Hindu calendar reminds us that every month there is at least one religious festival or a special ’tithi’ .to be observed by worshipping a deity. The various pujas performed during the course of a year demonstrate the make-up of the Hindu mind. . To the Bengalis the major religious celebration is the Durga Puja, an annual event in the autumn, the festivity lasting for over a fortnight as the ‘Devipaksha’ and is celebrated usually during late
September to mid-October.. Durga Puja provides an opportunity to worship Durga Mata with devotion and to stage cultural shows with music, songs, dance and entertainments to delight the worshippers at the puja pandal, Durga Puja is a religious celebration and a social gathering of family and community; it is an event for artistic and cultural reckoning of the Bengalis who appreciate the art works exhibited during the puja. All these activities participated by the members become integral components in the community-led puja and add a social dimension
to the religious event. On a social level Durga Puja is a happy occasion for a get-together of Bengali families and reminds one of the mythology of Devi Durga coming down to earth with her four children from her mountain abode to spend the puja days among her devotees, thus establishing a link between Ma Durga’s Divine Family with the extended human family. Then on the Vijaya Dasami night, the worshippers bid Ma Durga a sad farewell wishing to welcome her again the following year. On this day, Bengalis greet friends and relatives which is a unique,
warm gesture that emphasizes the harmonious social interaction with a Hindu religious act. Further, Hinduism is a collection of cultural systems and world views that relates humanity to spirituality and moral values. Hinduism is rich in having many narratives (stories from the Puranas), symbols (OM), mythology (The Ramayana, the Mahabharata), traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life to any human or to explain the origin of life or the universe. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws, a preferred lifestyle from their
ideas about the cosmos and Mother Nature.

The basic principles of Hindu Religion are summarized below:
(a) Hindus believe in one and only one God, and each of God’s many attributes is given a form and an image.
This leads to popular belief that Hindus worship many Gods representing His numerous manifestations.
(b) For a Hindu all the beings in the Universe are divine manifestations of the Supreme Being, the Supreme Soul, The Reality or Brahman.
(c) Taittreya Upanishad describes Him as the form whom all objects have come into existence and by whom, after being born they subsist, and whom they merge into at the end of the cosmic cycle, that is Brahman.
(d) OM (or AUM), also known as Pranav, is the Hindu symbol of Brahman. It is said to be the essence of all Mantras, the divine syllable, Shavda opr Naad Brahman i.e. the sound of Brahman itself. is the name of the creator Brahman.
(e) The creator in Hinduism is called Brahma, the sustaining agent, Vishnu and Maheswara is the annihilator who destroys the universe to recreate it.
(f) The doctrine of Karma states that good or evil character of action will lead to joy or sorrow.. The doctrine of Karma keeps the Hindus off the path of wrongdoing.
(g) Punarjanma- (Rebirth)- Hindus believe only the human body dies but the soul is born again in a new baby.
A Hindu can escape from the cycle of births and rebirths and attain salvation through ethical conduct, a methodical religious effort, and righteous living.

We conclude: Hinduism with its liberal attitude of respecting the diversity of views professed by faiths, has added a new dimension to the definition of religion which promotes tolerance, harmony and mutual understanding among faith followers. Hinduism may well be "a way of life" or "philosophy" or "culture" or "tradition", but that is in addition to its humane features as a religion.

The concept of religion in Hinduism therefore is that: Offering service to humanity is an act of worship of Divinity.